Wolf nods. “Which is why I need you to be mysovietnik. The reason I haven’t anointed one was because…I was waiting for you to come to terms with what I said.”
I blink, taken aback by his request.
I’ve never been in a position of strategy—never had the brains to pull off complex plans like him. I used my fists and rage to get what I wanted, and those tools have never failed me. For him to ask me this…
“To come to terms with what?” I ask.
“Forgiving yourself. You know it’s the only option, so get it done. And let’s steer this fucking ship together, like we were always meant to.”
EPILOGUE
Cecilia
Two months later
The sun is like a warm, gentle hand on my face.
After endless months of harsh weather and curling up in bed by the fireplace, spring is finally in full bloom. A buzzing, curious bumblebee flies past my ear, landing on a yellow flower at my feet. Above, a blackbird brings moss back to its nest, flying out again a few seconds later. I lie back on the grass, watching the canopy of trees breathe around me, the air fresh and sweet. It’s different here, in Alemont City, the contrast between seasons much sharper than it was back home.
Home…
The image of my father’spalazzoambushes my thoughts, yet no emotion latches onto it. No belonging, no anger, no regret. Nothing. A testament to the emptiness pulsing in my chest every morning I woke up there. Back then, I didn’t know who I was;I wasn’t allowed to exist outside of my father’s control. Now, everything’s different.
A whooshing sound gets my attention, and before I get to turn to see who or what it is, my husband plops down on the grass next to me, wearing a brand new tailored Brioni suit he doesn’t seem to care about ruining. He lies back with his hands behind his head, eyes closed, and a serene smile plastered on those lush lips I haven’t kissed all day.
“There you are,” he murmurs, making my heart flutter. “Been looking for you everywhere.”
My lips spread as I set my head on top of his chest, greedily inhaling his smoky scent. “Just enjoying the sun. I’ve missed it.”
“I’ve missedyou.” His hand idly begins roaming through my hair, sending tingles and goosebumps all over my body.
“Where were you this morning?”
“Out. Increasing my odds.”
I quirk a brow, amusement seeping into my eyes. Always so cryptic. “What for?”
“You. I’m hoping you’ll say yes to something, sweetheart.”
At that, I get up on my elbow, watching him with curiosity. He opens his eyes, and the torment I once saw swimming there doesn’t stare back at me for once. He’s been different over the past couple of weeks. Calmer. More present. I’m surprised he left at all this morning.
“Last time we negotiated something, it ended poorly,” I say, remembering the bowl of caviar I brought him in the basement when he’d asked for cigarettes.
He offers a lazy, delicious shrug. “Not for me, it didn’t. I never needed the cigarettes. Just you.”
“All the more reason not to negotiate with you again. You play dirty.”
“Yes. And you love it.”
I roll my eyes jokingly, lying back on the grass with my face up toward the sky. A moment later, he shifts and hovers above me, propping himself on one elbow. His lips touch mine—a slow, delirious caress that brings every atom in my body to a dangerous boil. My hand pulls him closer by his shirt, and he groans, his voice a low timbre as his free hand slides up my thigh, squeezing my flesh.
“Yes,” I whisper, melting into every single one of his touches, basking in the minty taste of his tongue. “Yes to anything you’re asking me.” I don’t need to know what it is. I trust my husband with my life. I wanteverythingwith him.
He chuckles, kissing me again, harder this time, his eyes gleaming under the sunlight like enchanted emeralds. Under my long skirt, my panties grow wetter, my pussy throbbing softly with need. When he breaks the kiss again, I can’t hide the pout forming on my lips.
“So needy,” he muses, seemingly fascinated by the reactions of my body, even if we’ve done this countless times before. After taking me in every position imaginable, he’s still as greedy to explore me as he’s always been. I love it. “But not here. The next time I take you, I want it to be somewhere new.”
“What’s wrong with here?” I plead, pulling him into another kiss.
